Recorded Text Testing (RTT) on Dialects of the Tiv Language
Keywords:
Recorded Text Testing (RTT), Dialects, Dialect Continuum, Mutual Intelligibility, Tiv LanguageAbstract
This paper is an assessment of the mutual intelligibility of dialects of the Tiv language. This is
aimed at examining the level of intelligibility of the dialects as well asinvestigating the particular
instances that constitute lack of full understanding among speakers of the dialects. The paper
adopts both qualitative and quantitative research designs. It gathers data through the Recorded
Text Testing method, a method which uses a translated text of story written in a particular dialect
or language to be tested on speakers of another dialect or language. In view of this, the paper
uses a reciprocal test; that is, testing one variety on another and reversing similar test on the first
one. The research involved 70 participants, among whom 30 were translators, while 40 were
those who took the test of intelligibility. To have a strong basis for the analysis, the paper
employs the Dialect Continuum Theory to explain the speakers’ understanding of the dialects.
The findings of the paper reveal that the intelligibility level among neighbouring dialects is
higher compared to the ones at adjacent ends of the line of movement (continuum). The paper
also finds out that more intelligibility is found between Kwande and Jechila-Jengbar (with
96.6%), and the least intelligibility is between Kwande and Ihyarev (with 68.8%). It thus
recommends that Tiv language scholars be engaged in serious studies in this area in order to
develop the dialects for the purpose of standardization, learning and documentation for posterity.
The paper has contributed meaningfully to scholarly knowledge by figuring out some lexical
items that hamper a hundred percent intelligibility of the dialects among speakers as well as the
level to which they understand each other, a fact which only few works may have accounted for
in the language.
References
Appendix I
PASSAGE FOR RECORDED TEXT TESTING
My name is Emmanuel Alagh. But I am best known by my nickname, Emmy. So, when I am called by my nickname I feel very happy. (1) When I was coming here, I had two ugly incidents. First, after I had travelled quite a distance, I arrived at a market square in which only the breadth/wideness of it was over 3000 feet and the length about 5000 feet. (2) I went round the market to know the prices of goods. Although the prices of the goods were not high, I couldn’t buy as much as I wanted because I had less money. (3) On my coming out of the market, I saw a man lying on the floor while others stood gazing at him. There was all over him and the floor vomit. This made the place very smelly. (4) Second, when I had come close to the river near one Mr. Iorhemba Shaakaa, I saw a tall man coming towards the direction I was. He was with other young men and a lady. (5) I did not understand their movement, so I started running towards a river where some fishermen were seated, mending their nets. (6) In that process, I fell into a deep pit and hit my face and elbow against the walls of the pit. It was some young men that brought a ladder to help me out. (7) This is why you can see my face swollen and my elbow bruised. But thank God, I am here with you safe.
Questions
What makes the speaker feel happy?
Where did the speaker first arrive and how did he describe the place?
What happened when the speaker was coming out from the market?
What made the scene of the incident smelly?
Who did the speaker see while he had come close to the river?
What happened to the speaker?
Which part(s) of the body did the speaker sustain injuries?
Who rescued the speaker and what did they use for his rescue?
Expected Answers
The speaker feels happy when he is called by his nickname.
The speaker first arrived at the market square which has the breadth of about 3000 and over 5000 length.
There was a man lying drunk on the floor.
There was vomit all over the man’s body and the floor.
He saw a tall man with other young men and a lady.
He fell into a pit.
He sustained injures on his head and elbow.
Some young men rescued him using a ladder.
A translation in Ihyarev
Iti yam er Emmanuel Alagh. Kpa i hemba fanem sha iti i mbakwar er, Emmy. (1) Nahan, shie u i yilan sha iti i mbakwar ne ya, ka hemba kpenem iyol. (2) Er shen m lu van heen nahan, m zua a akaa a vihinem ahar. U hiihii ya, er m er zende ca ya, m de nyôr he kasua u igbyalegh na tsee i kuma angahar 3000 man iniembe na er 5000 nahan. (3) M zende ke kasua la cica u me fan ishe i akaa. Er akaa la nga taver ishe ga kpaa, m fatyô u yamen er m soo ga sha ciu inyaregh yagh ki kuma ga ya. (4) Er m lu duen kasua la ya, m nenge orgenegh yav he nya, iormbagenegh kile sha le kenger un. Sorugh le un iyol man he nya. Kwagh la na ya ijiir la huma gbin. (5) U sha uhar ya, er m va ikyua a wagh u u lu ikyua a ya u Iorhemba Shaakaa ya, m nenge a gôgô or le van kpe m le la. Or la le vea agumaior agen man iniunkwase. (6) M kav zende ve ga, nahan m hii u yevese yemen hen kpe wagha kpe mbakôrunshu ve tuma ve lu sôrun ukper veu ya. (7) He shie la m de gba shin ihyungwa, m ta ishigh man kwende ke kpukpe u ihyungwa la. Yan i lu igyumior i genegh de va a jande sha u wasen mo u duen ye. (8) Ka nahan ishigh yagh ki mula shi kwende wam kpaa ngu pon avav ye. Kpa m sugh Aôndu m ngu heen vea ven dedoo.
A translation in Jechila-Jengbar
Iti yam er Emmanuel Alagh. Kpa i hemba fan mo sha beer-iti er, Emmy. (1) Nahan, shie u ka a yilan sha beer-iti la yô, ka i saan mo iyol kpishi. (2) Er m lu van heen yô, m zua a akaa a vihin mo ahar. U hiihii yô, zum u m zende ca yô, m za nyôr hen kasua u igbyanger na tsee i lu angahar 3000 man ilihen na er anagahar 5000 nahan. (3) M zende m ningir kasua la sha u fan ishe i akaa. Er ishe akaa lu taver yum ga kpaa, m yam kpishi er m soo la ga sha ciu m lu a nyaregh kpishi ga yô. (4) er m lu duen ken kasua la yô, m nenge or lu yaven hen nya man mbagen tile sha lu kenger un. Isho lu un iyol man hen nya. Kwagh ne na ijiir la huma kpishi. (5) U sha uhar yô, er m va ngboghom a ifi u lu ikyua a ya u ya u Iorhemba Shaakaa yô, m nenge a kôkô or lu van veghel u m lu yô. Yange lu vea agumaior agen man wankwase. (6) Yange zende ve la wanger mo ga, nahan m hii u yevese yemen veghel ifi pe mbakôrunkyôr tema ve lu cingen ukper vev yô. (7) Ka hen zum la m za gba shin ijem ihyungwa, m ta ishigh man iniu-we ken kpekpe u ihyungwa la ye. Yange i lu agumaior agen va a jande sha u wasen mo u duen ye. (8) Ka nahan ishigh yagh ki mula man iniu-we yam kpaa i tôndo avav ye. Kpa m wuese Aôndo m ngu heen a ven dedoo.
A translation in Kwande
Iti yam er Emmanuel Alagh. Kpa ka hembe yilan mo sha iti i kwaor er, Emmy. (1) Nahan, ka a yilan sha iti i kwaor wan yô, ka i saan mo iyol. (2) Er m ngu van heen yô, m zua a akaa ahar a vihin mo. U hiihii yô, zum u m er gôgô zende yô, m nyôr ken tembe kasua u igbyanger na i kuma ashiva 3000 man ilihen na lu 5000 nahan. (3) M ningir kasua la sha u fan ishe i akaa. Shin er ishe akaa i taver ga kpaa, m fatyô u yamen sha er m soo ga sha ciu m lu a inyaregh gbin ga. (4) M lu duen ken kasua la yô, m nenge or yev hen nya man mbagen tile her, ve lu kenger un, man isho lu un iyol man hen nya. Kwagh la na ijiir la i huma kpishi. (5) U sha uhar yô, er m va ikyua a wagh u u lu ikyua kyua a ya u Iorhemba Shaakaa yô, m nenge a or u taven lu van pe m lu la. yange lu vea agumaior man wankwase. (6) Yange m fa zende ve ga man m gba yevese yemen shin wagh pe mbakôlenshu tema ve lu sôlen ukper vev yô. (7) ka hen shie la m gba shin ihyungwa i zan kweeng, m ta ishigh kua iniu-kwende ken akur a ihyungwa la ye. Lu agumaior agen ve va a agôr u va wasen mo u duen ye. (8) Ka nahan man ishigh yagh ki mula shi iniu-kwende yam i lu a avav ye. Kpa m sugh Aônde er m lu aven heen dedoo nahan.
A translation in Masev
Iti yam er Emmanuel Alagh. Kpa i hemba fan mo sha iti i kwaor er, Emmy. (1) Nahan, shie i ka a yilan sha iti i kwaor ne ka i hemba saan mo iyol. (2) Er m mough u van heen ya, m zua a akaa uhar a zan mo iyol. U hiihii ya, er m zende gôgô zende ya, m za nyôr ke tembe kasua u igbyanger na tsee i kuma angahar 3000 man lembe na u kuma er angahar 5000 ya. (3) M nimbir ke kasua la sha u me fa ishe i akaa. Er ishe akaa taver ga kpaa, m fatyô m yam akaa ishima yam ga sha ciu inyaregh kumam ga. (4) U duen wan ke kasua ne ya, m nenge or yev he nya, mbagen tile mba kenger un. isho lu sha iyol na man he nya pe yange yav la. Kwagh ne er ijiir ne huma tsember tsember. (5) U sha uhar ya, shie i m va ikyua kyua a kungwa wagh u a lu ikyua kyua a ya u Iorhemba Shaakaa ya, m nenge a or u taven gôôn lu van pe yan m lu la. yan lu vea agumaior agen man wanyekwase môm. (6) M kav zende ve ga nahan m hii u yevese yemen he kpe waghe he pe mbakôlenshu ve tema ve lu sôlen kper vev ya. (7) ka shie ne m da gba shin ihyungwa i zan gbeeng, m kuma ishigh man kwende wam ke akpekpe a ihyungwa la. Yange i lu agumaior a gen va a agelagba u wasen mo u duen ye. (8) Ka nahan u nenge ishigh yagh ki mula man kwende wam kpaa u hende ye. Kpa m sugh Aônde er m lu even heen gbangban ya.
A translation in Nongov-Sankera
Iti yam er Emmanuel Alagh. Kpa i hemba fan mo sha iti i mbakwar er, Emmy. (1) Nahan, shie u ka a yilan sha iti i mbakwar la yô, ka i saan mo iyol. (2) Er m lu van heen yô, m zua a mbamshi uhar. U hiihii yô, er m zende ishiva nareghaa yô, m za nyôr hen tembe kasua u igbyanger na i hembe aseva 3000 man ilyembe na er 5000 nahan. (3) M zende ken tembe kasua la sha u fan ishe i akaa. Shin er ishe akaa lu taver ishe ga kpaa, m fatyô u yamen akaa kpishi ga sha ciu m lu a inyaregh kpishi ga. (4) Shie u m lu duen ken kasua la yô, m nenge or yev hen nya man mbagen gema tile lu kenger un, man isho geme lu un iyol man hen nya. Kwagh la na ijiir la huma gboong. (5) U sha uhar yô, er m va nyôr hen kpe wagha u u lu ikyua a ya u Iorhemba Shaakaa yô, m nenge a gumor a ityaven gogonan lu van vegh u m lu la. yange lu vea igyumior i gen man wankwase. (6) Yange m kav zende ve ga, man m gba yevese yemen hen kpe wagha pe mbakôrunshu tema ve lu sôrun ukper vev yô. (7) Hen shie la m za gba shin ihyungwa, m ta ishigh man iniu-we ken kpekpe u ihyungwa la. Yange i lu igyumior i genegh va a jande sha u wasen mo u duen ye. (8) Ka nahan ishigh yagh ki mula shi m hende iniu-we ye. Kpa m sugh Aôndo m ngu heen vea ven dedoo.
Appendix II: A Map of Dialect of the Tiv language
Source: Benue State Ministry of Lands and Survey
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Copyright (c) 2025 Alagh, E.I., Ishima, J.L.J.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
